Gary Brennan: What it’s like to face Kerry 

Gary Brennan: 'I can honestly say that I went into every contest with Kerry believing that we could win. I don’t care how naive that sounds to some.'

Facing the Kingdom I remember Páidí Ó Sé looking at me as though I was the daftest person he ever met. The year was 2007, and Páidí, as Clare manager, was planning something for the Saturday after the first round of the Munster U21 championship. I had just reminded him that in the event of us beating Kerry in that first round, us U21 players would be due to play Tipperary that day and wouldn’t be available for senior duty. 

Páidí’s look said enough about how he rated our chances, even if he kept the words to himself. A few days later, to his credit, he was graciously eating humble pie because we did what he and most others had assumed was impossible and beat Kerry.